Andreas Wernersson takes maiden STCC win in chaotic first race

Andreas Wernersson claimed his first ever STCC victory in a chaotic first Scandinavian Touring Car Championship race at Solvalla.

The Kia driver started from third position on the grid but took the lead from pole sitter Emma Kimiläinen in the first corner. And Kimiläinen was a topic for controversy in the race.

But before the Saab driver got involved in the controversies, the safety car was issued on lap two after contact between Erik Jonsson and Prince Carl Philip Bernadotte. Jonsson dove on the inside of Bernadotte in the final corner, resulting in a half-spin for the Volvo driver while BMW Jonsson spun into the gravel and had to retire. Bernadotte was penalized with a drive through penalty and dropped to tenth position in the end.

Dacia driver Mattias Andersson got past Kimiläinen for second place early in the race and fought hard with Wernersson throughout the race for the lead. The Dacia driver was never more then a second behind but had to settle for second position and his best result of the season.

The action and controversy in the race was behind the leading duo and consisted of a fight mainly between Kimiläinen, Linus Ohlsson and Fredrik Larsson. Ohlsson dove on the inside of Kimiläinen in corner four and the two made contact, resulting in a spin for Kimiläinen.

Kimiläinen was able to continue, only to be turned around again two corners later by Ohlsson’s team mate Mattias Lindberg. Chaos followed as Kimiläinen rejoined the track without looking and was collected by a number of drivers, with Matte Karlsson dealing the final blow to the Finn’s car, resulting in a retirement for Kimiläinen.

Controversy continued as Ohlsson and Larsson fought hard for third position over several laps. Larsson tried on the outside of Ohlsson in one corner which Ohlsson hade none of and pushed Larsson wide onto the grass.

Larsson was passed by title rival and championship leader Thed Björk, but the BMW driver was able to get back past to finish fourth ahead of the Volvo driver. Ohlsson secured the final podium spot, but was given two warnings from the stewards for the incidents he was involved in during the race.

Lindberg finished sixth for Kia ahead of the top newcomer in the form of Karlsson for BMW in seventh position, with double STCC champion Jan ”Flash” Nilsson coming home in eighth position. Philip Forsman crossed the line in ninth position after serving a drive through penalty for turning Richard Göransson around, an incident with resulted in a broken rear suspension and retirement for Göransson.